Patrick suggests LBB analysis politically motivated

After being criticized for his claims that the new state budget reduces funding for border security, Sen. Dan Patrick, who is among three candidates challenging Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in the Republican Primary, called upon the Legislative Budget Board to correct its latest analysis of how much money in the new state budget is directed at border law enforcement efforts.

In a press release headlined: “Did LBB Tweak the Numbers to Provide Political Cover?,” Patrick said that a May analysis of the proposed budget indicated that programs relating to budget security were slashed by more than $6 million. “When I voted against the budget, it was one of my reasons for doing so,” he said. “At the time of the vote on the budget, this was the only information available.” A June analysis, he said, indicated the budget slashed those programs far more: by $125 million.

But after Patrick used those figures in a campaign ad, Politifact questioned his premise, noting the the budget increased law enforcement spending that will include border security efforts far beyond the funding for “border security” programs that Patrick relied upon.

Politifact quoted Gary Scharrer, a spokesman for Senate Finance Committee chairman Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, saying that border operations spending across all agencies in 2014-15 was $343.2 million, up $121.6 million from the previous budget. He also said that Patrick, as a member of the Finance Committee, would have been aware that such spending was going into the budget.

“He would have been in the loop on border security budget discussions,” Scharrer said. “Sen. Patrick could have checked with LBB or DPS for clarification – or verification – before going public. Many members fact-check ahead of time.”

But Patrick’s statement today suggests that the LBB’s latest analysis included spending, like a DPS payraise, that shouldn’t be counted toward border security operations. “Lumping across-the-board pay raises for DPS Troopers, spending for DNA testing and DPS recruit schools into …border security is disingenuous and misleading,” Patrick said. “Some people have alleged that the LBB went back and re-categorized spending after the budget vote in order to provide political cover to those who supported the budget vote. Whatever the reason, the LBB should produce a report that more accurately reflects spending for border security .”

We’ve reached out to Dewhurst, who is joint chairman of the LBB, for a response and will update when we get one.